


knotted with crimson bonds of blood

by Seito



Series: tick tock, forward and back (time travel fics) [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Family Bonding, Fix-It, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Canon, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-27 02:19:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17153453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seito/pseuds/Seito
Summary: “Good morning Ignis,” Cor said softly. “I bet you're very confused with what is going on?”Ignis nodded. All he knew was Uncle had woken him up, got him dressed and told him it was very important that they go to the infirmary.“Last night,” Cor said, “I was on my way back to Insomnia after a mission took me outside the walls. I came across a sandy blond haired man who was badly injured. I brought him back here to the doctors.”Cor paused. Ignis was vibrating in place. In the back of his head, there was a tiny illogical hope starting to blossom. He was young, yes, but Ignis was smart.“Ignis, we think he might be your dad.”





	knotted with crimson bonds of blood

Six year old Ignis gripped his Uncle Renatus' hand tightly, unable to settle the ball of anxiety in his stomach. Given the solemn look on his normally cheerful uncle face, Ignis wasn't the only one. 

They weaved through the empty hallways of the Citadel. It was early morning, so early that that the sun hadn't been up. Another turn around the corner and they had arrived at their destination: the infirmary.

There, the Marshal, was waiting for them. 

“Marshal,” Renatus said. “Cor,” he said this time, more wearily, “Is it… is it true? How? What happened?” 

The Marshal grimace. Ignis felt his stomach drop further. Something about this was unsettling.

The Marshal (‘Cor,’ Ignis reminded himself. He had permission to call the Marshal Cor, given to him by both Noct and Cor when Ignis met them three months ago) kneeled down to Ignis’ eye level.

“Good morning Ignis,” Cor said softly. “I bet you're very confused with what is going on?”

Ignis nodded. All he knew was Uncle had woken him up, got him dressed and told him it was very important that they go to the infirmary. 

“Last night,” Cor said, “I was on my way back to Insomnia after a mission took me outside the walls. I came across a sandy blond haired man who was badly injured. I brought him back here to the doctors.” 

Cor paused. Ignis was vibrating in place. In the back of his head, there was a tiny illogical hope starting to blossom. He was young, yes, but Ignis was _smart_. 

“Ignis, we think he might be your dad.”

-.-.-

Renatus felt his breath stolen. He tugged Cor away from Ignis, needing more information, more context that Ignis was undoubtedly too young to hear. 

(He didn't dare to get Ignis’ hopes up any further. Not until he knew for sure.)

“Cor, how?” Renatus asked. 

“It would have been kinder to let him pass away,” Cor grunted. “That was how badly injured he was. Looked like he got into a fight against a horde of deamons and managed to crawl his way out. Wouldn't have bothered, if I hadn't realized that under all that blood, he looked a lot like you.

“So hauled him back here. Doctors have been fussing over him since. The blood type match, right age, and he knows some details, but they're somewhat muddy.”

“Muddy?” Renatus asked. 

“He knew Mariana's name but not that she was his wife. Called out for Ignis. Knew your name but called you uncle, which is mildly strange except for the fact-”

“That I was actually named after our deceased uncle,” Renatus finished. He used to resent that when he was younger, named after a dead relative who had died too young, too early. It casted a long shadow. 

But considering his younger brother was named Caecus after their grandfather, well Renatus didn't have much a leg to stand on. (Ignis’ name was picked by much more level headed Mariana.) 

“Right,” Cor said with a snort. “He also had the date and year completely wrong, by over 25 years. Doctors are saying it’s partial amnesia and they don't expect him to ever recover his memories. There was a lot of head trauma. But right now all the signs currently point to, yes, that is your brother. I made sure to confirm everything we could before calling you. Sure there is a possibility he's a spy or someone else's amnesia missing love one, so if you want him gone, I'll make him disappear.” 

“N-no,” Renatus said, reeling. 

He… he had never expected that his brother was alive. It was close to five years now, since the accident took them away and placed Ignis into Renatus’ open arms. Ignis didn't even remember his father. 

There had been so much blood in their little farm house. They never caught the perpetrators, didn't even have a good lead. (Who was willing to look for criminals out in the dusty plains of Leide?) Caecus and Mariana’s bodies were never found; it had been assumed the wildlife had dragged them off. It was only by chance that Ignis hadn't been caught in the crossfire. (Renatus had been babysitting, so the two could enjoy their anniversary and even now Renatus shuddered to think what could have happened.) 

But how? 

“Can we see him?” Renatus asked, letting the hope unfurl in his head. 

Cor nodded. “Yeah. There's one thing you should know.”

“It won't be pretty, I know,” Renatus said. He was a little wary about revealing that to Ignis but he won't deny his nephew the chance to meet his father. 

“Not only that,” Cor said. “He's blind.” 

-.-.-

Waking up to the scent of anespetic was the last thing Ignis had expected. Sterile hospitals had one of the first things that disappeared during the World of Ruin. Field medicine and surgery took its place, when the lingering magic of potions and elixirs could no longer help or worse gotten scarce. 

Adding to the oddity of his strange situation were the questions. His name? Name of his mother, name of brother, how had he gotten hurt? 

The last thing Ignis remember was fighting in Insomnia, holding the line as Noctis headed to the throne room. (The last time he was going to see his King. Ten years of darkness and that glimmering, shimmering bright hope of Noctis’ return only to be crush by the truth that Noctis would only be here long enough to defeat Ardyn. That Noctis was walking tall his death, his brother, his best friend, his entire world.) Ignis violently shoved those thoughts away and fell silent to the doctors’ multiple questions. 

None of this made any sense and it was not the first time that he cursed the lack of his sight. He couldn't gain any bearings, no familiar voices or footsteps. Where was Gladio? Where was Prompto? What happened to Noctis? Where was here???

No, better to remain silent until someone familiar came by. 

“Well brother, when mother named you Caecus after grandfather, I didn't think she wanted you to fulfill his name literally.”

What? Caecus? That was his father's name and that sounded like his uncle.

“Daddy?” 

And that sounded… no. 

“What?” Ignis asked. 

“My apologies. The doctors said you're suffering from partial amnesia. I don't know how much you remember, so I'll start from the beginning. I'm your older brother, Renatus. And this is-” 

“Is that Ignis?” Ignis half guessed, mind swinging. It couldn't be. 

“Correct,” Renatus said. 

Ignis felt his heart ached, practically hearing the smile in his Uncle's words. It had been a heavy blow, knowing yet not fully, that his Uncle had most likely died when Insomnia fell. “Renatus,” Ignis said slowly. 

“You remember me?” Renatus asked. 

Ignis mentally flinched at the hope. Of course he did. But… but… his uncle thought he was Caecus? Then…

Then this was a past. 

His past, specifically? Unknown and something Ignis couldn't clarify, not now. But right now, Renatus was alive and his younger self sounded very much like a child. Was this the infirmary in the Citadel then? 

“Somewhat...? Where?” Ignis started. 

“This is the infirmary in the Citadel in Insomnia,” Renatus supplied. “The year is ME 741, the month of June, the 21st.” 

That knocked the wind out of Ignis. This was only months after the first time he met Noct. So his younger self had just turned six. Noctis was four. He was that far back? 

Was… was it enough? Could he prevent the prophecy? 

Could he _save_ Noctis? 

“It's been five years since you and Mariana disappeared,” Renatus continued, unaware of Ignis' turmoil. “We thought you dead. A blessing that the Marshal found you and brought you back.” 

Mariana. His mother. Ignis hadn't thought about his parents in years. 

A hand, Renatus’ hand?, reached out to squeeze his shoulder. “I know this is a lot to take take in, but we will help you through this, Caecus.” 

Another weight threw itself against Ignis, and he caught his younger self in the hug with practiced reflexes. “Dad,” his younger self said, pressing close. 

All right then. He was in the past. He could work with this. 

-.-.-

“Renatus?” 

Renatus placed his pen down, looking at his younger brother. The last few weeks had done Caesus good. The last of his wounds were healed, leaving only behind scars. His memory was spotty still, confusing dates and events specifically, but overall he had seem to settle into the apartment that Renatus and Ignis had called home. 

“Yes?” Renatus asked. 

“Ignis went to his lessons?” Caesus asked. 

“Playdate actually,” Renatus said, amused. 

Watching Caecus be a father (watching him have a chance) was both solemn and heartwarming. His fiery brother had gone, replaced with this quieter version whose waters ran calmly but deep. There were sparks of those old flames but they were far and few. Trauma didn't disappear overnight, but Caecus tried. He was patient with Ignis and bless Ignis’ understanding heart, Ignis was patient with his father. 

They were a pair, certainly. It was becoming a familiar sight to come home to find Ignis reading to Caecus.

Caecus nodded. “Very well. I have something to tell you and I request you listen with an open mind.” 

“You remember something,” Renatus guessed. It was, undoubtedly, something horrifying if Caecus wanted to make sure that Ignis wasn't around to accidentally overhear. Whatever his brother went through these last five years, it was horrible enough that Caecus had woken them up several times with his screams from his nightmares. 

“Something like that,” Caecus said. “But mostly, I'm beginning to recognize my limitations again, and… I can't do this alone.” His fingers lightly traced the scar around his eye. 

Renatus felt the grief in his bones. The scar, his brother's vision, it was the oldest wound according to the doctors. There was no magical healing that could be done to fix it. Not even more traditional means like an eye transparent. 

Caecus would not be able to see his son grow. 

‘But better a loss of vision than dead,’ he reminded himself. 

“I'm here to help,” Renatus said. 

“Yes, well, hopefully you won't think of me too crazy,” Caecus said. 

He cleared his throat. “I'm not your brother Caecus. I'm actually from 25 years into the future, where everything went to hell. It was a world of eternal night, with armies of daemons everywhere and my lack of vision is hindering me in making in any headway in preventing that from happening.”

Renatus felt his jaw drop. “What?” 

Caecus smiled. “Uncle, it's me Ignis. And I would really like your help in saving the world.” 

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted more time travel fics lmao so I set out to write more. Except I don't do well with multi-chapters so, enjoy the possibilities. 
> 
> Happy Holidays!
> 
> Please leave a review on your way out.


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